Why is broken glass so sharp?
In: Chemistry
Glass contains of small particles that get really hard to move once it’s cold. So when the glass breaks, it’s breaks where these particles are aligned. Because they are so small, they now create a very small surface right where it broke apart. In these places, it’s much more easy to cut into other materials, which is why you tend to cut yourself on shards, bit not on the glass cup itself.
Glass is a brittle material. When it fails, it fails suddenly. Sudden material failures produce sharp edges.
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